Successful Men’s Night Out: Supporting Our Mates Brings Community Together
A men's night out in Glen Innes where men support each other
Capacity building - LEP23 - 024_LLC_CD
The issue
In 2022 alone, tragically 2,455 Australian men took their own lives, so when a local Glen Innes family suffered the loss of their beloved son Kayne Wells in early 2024, they approached GLENRAC, requesting that in lieu of flowers for his funeral a memorial fund be established to contribute towards an event to support rural men in challenges they bear, often silently, regarding mental health.
The solution
GLENRAC hosted a highly impactful ‘Men’s Night Out: Supporting Our Mates’ on Friday, July 26, 2024, at the Glen Innes Services Club. The event brought together over 184 community members to address mental health challenges and support rural men.
The impact
The evening featured a lineup of compelling speakers, including Warren Davies (a.k.a 'The Unbreakable Farmer'), Kerry White, Ambassador for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, and Carol Mudford, the CEO and Founder of sHedway and included live musical entertainment by Charlie Fittler, adding a special touch to the event.
Each speaker shared personal stories and valuable insights into mental health and well-being, emphasising the importance of community support.
Casey Chard spoke on behalf of the Kayne Wells family, saying, “While organising Wellsy's funeral, we knew we wanted to give back to this amazing community that brought us much strength during such a difficult time. We also knew that we wanted to raise awareness and support our rural men with their mental health. With this in mind, we approached the GLENRAC team for their assistance in facilitating an event that would do just this.”
Key facts
- 184 community members to address mental health challenges and support rural men
- The event gained a Community Recognition Statement in the NSW Legislative Assembly from the Member for Northern Tablelands, Brendan Moylan MP (https://www.glenrac.org.au/news/glenracs-mens-night-community-recognition-statement)
- The initial event has sparked local interest to enable two similarly well-attended events focusing on the theme of Men’s Health in the following year